What Was it Like?: Teaching History and Culture Through Young Adult Literature

This practical book is a great resource for teachers who want to engage their students with young adult literature. The author presents in-depth, instructional units centered on historical conflicts and texts that will help students to better understand other cultures and time periods. An array of active learning strategies place students close to the featured novel or memoir while meeting standards and addressing a broad range of critical thinking skills. Historical themes center on: the Depression; Mexican American migrant farm workers; children during the Holocaust; the internment of the Japanese during WWII; the Japanese occupation of Korea; the U.S. Civil Rights Movement; the experience of U.S. soldiers and children affected by the Vietnam War. This book features: depictions of active learning in the English classroom, including many examples of student work with accompanying photos, web pages, and more; a variety of adaptable assignments designed to promote empathy and deepen students’ awareness of the world around them; and, young adult literature that has proven to be of interest to students and relevant to their lives.